


Never Leaving You Again

by Antagonized_Jordan



Series: Zukka Drabbles: My First Hot Take [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: It's heated...what the fuck are tags, Kissing, M/M, Reunion, Secret Relationship, Shirts off...intensity? IDK it's not porn but ya know...discretion, slight angst, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:20:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24067993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antagonized_Jordan/pseuds/Antagonized_Jordan
Summary: Sokka couldn’t breathe.How could he?Zuko had given him no warning.  No letters, no cryptic messages passed across the nation.  Nothing.  And they had managed it before, many, many times.  Zuko had no excuse.He stared in disbelief at the back of Zuko’s head as he followed him to the bedroom.  Technically, Sokka was supposed to be showing Zuko to his new quarters, but the dazed state in which Sokka found himself trapped kept him at the rear.  Zuko seemed to know where he was going anyway.This can’t be happening.To be clear, this was exactly what Sokka had been wanting since their tense encounters had evolved past superficiality and convoluted emotions had emerged with a burning clarity.  Since Sokka had realized that despite everything – and fuck if everything wasn’t a big enough word – he was in love with the enemy.And he knew the enemy was in love with him.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zukka Drabbles: My First Hot Take [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755556
Comments: 51
Kudos: 535





	Never Leaving You Again

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY! 
> 
> So rewatching ATLA, I just see Zukka all over the place and FUCK if it doesn't wreck me!!! In particular, there's the scene where Sokka shows Zuka to his room after Zuko shows up ready to fight the good fight, and it has so much Zukka goodness. I always watch that scene and just imagine, like, what if Zuko and Sokka had been secret boyfriends for a long time, and this was some intense reunion? Can you just imagine the intensity as they got into that room? Those half lidded looks and near violent hands all over each other? OMG!! I die! But then I really got to thinking and realized, "...you know, that scene WOULD be really intense, but probably not like that...it would mean so much more and be fraught with...a lot." SO ENJOY!!!! I had a blast writing this, and yeah, maybe one day I'll write the steamy version because that's awesome sauce, too <3 
> 
> So much love to the ever supportive Zukka fandom!!! <3 So proud to be here, y'all!

Sokka couldn’t breathe. 

How could he?

Zuko had given him no warning. No letters, no cryptic messages passed across the nation. Nothing. And they had managed it before, many, _many_ times. Zuko had no excuse.

He stared in disbelief at the back of Zuko’s head as he followed him to the bedroom. Technically, Sokka was supposed to be showing Zuko to his new quarters, but the dazed state in which Sokka found himself trapped kept him at the rear. Zuko seemed to know where he was going anyway.

 _This can’t be happening_. 

To be clear, this was exactly what Sokka had been wanting since their tense encounters had evolved past superficiality and convoluted emotions had emerged with a burning clarity. Since Sokka had realized that despite _everything_ – and fuck if _everything_ wasn’t a big enough word – he was in love with the enemy.

And he knew the enemy was in love with him.

It didn’t make any sense, but neither of them could stay away. And for all Zuko’s obsessive tendencies, when they were together, the war didn’t exist. It was just them, stealing away time in dark, firelit spaces. Sokka never realized how they managed to get so far away from it all. He didn’t know how he himself – one of Aang’s dearest friends and closest confidantes – could do this to their team. Every time he watched Zuko leave after one of their trysts, he could feel the rising guilt…the pull to do _something_. Follow him, track him, capture him…end him. All the actions he was supposed to take, not only for Aang, but for the world. 

…Though Sokka never did.

And Zuko never followed him, either.

There was always at least a month between each of their passionate encounters and the reemergence of Zuko in a different context. A context that left a bitter taste in Sokka’s mouth.

He could never believe it _._ Each time Sokka found himself fighting against Zuko, protecting the Avatar from the banished Fire Nation Prince, he had to force away the stinging tears of rage, betrayal, disbelief, and disappointment. Silent vows to end it. Heavy walls built instantly around his heart to protect what he knew would come later. 

But Zuko always tore those damn walls down. And every time Sokka found himself back in Zuko’s arms, he was once again pleading Zuko to stop. Let the crown go. 

_“You don’t need to join us - just leave them! How can you not see how trapped you are?”_

_“Sokka…”_

_“NO! Zuko I know you! You don’t need them to tell you who you are. You don’t need them to validate the power and honor I know you have! END THIS! Please –”_

There were always tears at the end. Desperate cries from Sokka; silent tears from Zuko. Nothing to offer Sokka but a tender attempt to dry his eyes – hold him closer for just a few moments before Sokka’s hysteria inevitably took his mind far away from the peace they had found. Moments before they had to physically leave each other and be violently sucked back into the war neither of them could manage to escape.

Sokka could never believe it. _Any of it._

_And he certainly couldn’t believe this._

As Zuko turned a corner, Sokka remembered what he was supposed to be doing.

_You’re going the wrong way, dumbass._

He silently slid himself in front of Zuko and brushed his shoulder with his own as he doubled back and chose the other corridor…the correct corridor that led them to Zuko’s new quarters. The place where Zuko would be staying, permanently. Apparently.

Staying permanently since apparently, Zuko had left the Fire Nation. 

Staying, since apparently, Zuko was no longer fighting against Team Avatar.

Staying since Zuko was now _a part_ of Team Avatar, teaching Aang fire bending. Apparently.

…Everything Sokka had wanted. 

…

And yet he couldn’t bring himself to look Zuko in the eyes.

He _had_ been staring, intensely, jaw dropped through the entirety of Zuko’s awkward as hell introduction. But then, after all the arguments for/against Zuko had been made, and Zuko had finally tried a soft smile at the Water Tribesman, Sokka shut down. Eyes averted, shoulders turned away. It was involuntary.

Though no one else had known, and Sokka had no ground to stand on when it really came down to it, he felt he was “the last to know”, and fuck if that didn’t hurt like hell.

***

Zuko’s footsteps echoing behind Sokka’s sent chills down his spine. The situation felt too familiar. Too reminiscent of past encounters – the ones Sokka kept locked deep in his chest for no one to find.

He took a shuddering breath and attempted to center himself as he opened the door to the empty bedroom. He stared at the floorboards as he silently motioned Zuko into the space, the hint of an attitude in his limbs while his face kept its stony silence. 

Zuko froze for a moment, and Sokka was sure his eyes were burning a hole into the side of his shaved head. Sokka didn’t budge and he eventually felt Zuko shift his weight before shuffling inside.

Sokka chewed the inside of his cheek as Zuko brushed past. He was close enough that Zuko’s warmth touched Sokka’s lips, sending his own heat flush up to his cheeks. He would deny that. 

Finally, Sokka’s eyes tore their way from the floor up to Zuko’s form. A breath escaped his lips and he felt his heart ache in 14 different places as he took in the boy before him.

The awkwardness and attempted lightheartedness was gone – the apprehensive confidence Zuko had worn not 10 minutes ago had vanished, revealing something much deeper. Much smaller.

Zuko looked so unsure. 

Uncertain.

Unsteady.

Sokka felt the warm sting creep up behind his eyes as his chest grew tighter the more he stared.

Zuko looked around the room with wide, innocent eyes, looking much younger than Sokka had ever seen him appear. Zuko’s fingers intertwined over and over again with themselves above his solar plexus, and Sokka swore he saw Zuko’s lip quiver, if just for a moment. It was Zuko, now, avoiding Sokka’s stare. 

And suddenly, all the feelings keeping Sokka in a dark place dissipated, replaced with a sudden and desperate need to comfort the fire bender who knew far too many of his secrets.

The reality of what Zuko had done, and what it must have taken, finally hit Sokka, and his heart was swelling too much, too fast. He was going to explode – with tears? With joy? It was a mess of emotions and all he knew was he needed to be closer.

Before his mind had come to a centered stop, his feet were carrying him across the separating distance, Zuko’s eyes falling farther down, bangs hanging heavy as Sokka silently, quickly neared.

He threw himself hard into Zuko, and in an instant, he felt Zuko collapse, eyes buried deep in Sokka’s shoulder as his hands slowly wrapped around the Water Tribesman’s waist. Sokka’s arms were locking in tighter around Zuko’s shoulders as his eyes stared wide at nothing, filling with silent tears, mouth hanging open as he struggled for breath. The dam was breaking.

As Sokka felt Zuko’s first shudder, he broke further, squeezing tighter still as he screamed in a whisper, choking on his own words.

“ _I’M SO MAD AT YOU!”_

Sokka started to sob, eyes squeezing shut as he let himself shake. He felt Zuko’s breath hitch over and over as his shoulder grew wet with what he knew were Zuko’s tears. Zuko’s grip continued to tighten, slowly but desperately all the same.

Sokka pulled back and shot his hands to Zuko’s face, bringing their foreheads together as his eyes frantically searched Zuko’s. He had the impulse to shake him, the roiling emotions threatening to overwhelm them both. 

Zuko had a look of defeat as his cries came forward, still silent, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut and his chin to drop further. Sokka’s left hand shot under to hold it back up, Zuko’s lips parting at the unexpected movement. Sokka’s head tilted as he lifted Zuko’s chin higher.

“You didn’t tell me _anything!_ I haven’t heard from you in _MONTHS,_ Zuko! _Months!”_ Sokka’s scream was still a whisper, each word threatening to crack as he struggled to speak.

Zuko kept shaking as he let eyes roll to the ceiling, tears falling as he avoided Sokka’s gaze.

“Look at me!”

Zuko’s eyes closed tighter. Body shaking more violently.

“ _Please!”_

Sokka stepped away, hands hanging lamely at his side as he gaped at Zuko, desperate for answers. Desperate for resolution.

Finally, Zuko’s silent sobs erupted and his head fell hard against his chest. His arms mirrored Sokka’s, limp at his sides, swinging slightly from the reverberations of his sobs, loud and messy, choked and heavy. 

Sokka had never seen Zuko cry like this.

It broke him. The cracks in his chest lodged even deeper, more pain, more _everything_.

A resurgence of something pulled him back to Zuko just as the Fire Nation Prince began collapsing, joints buckling, seemingly falling in slow motion as Sokka slid to his knees, catching Zuko in his arms as they both landed on the ground. 

He tried again, softer this time, voice lower but no longer a whisper.

“Look at me, Zuko.”

Sokka nudged his cheek to Zuko’s as he brushed away stray tears, pulling back with raised eyebrows, a desperate look on his face as he searched for Zuko’s gaze, hungry for the connection.

Finally, _finally_ , Zuko’s eyes found Sokka’s, still glassy with tears, skin colored red and purple from the crying.

_He’s so beautiful._

The thought escaped Sokka’s mind as he let a shy smile grace his lips, crooked and hesitant as Zuko’s eyes seemed to focus more clearly.

Zuko’s eyes fell shut once more as his forehead fell to Sokka’s, a breath escaping. Sokka barely caught the words.

“ – ‘m so sorry, Sokka.”

His head rocked back and forth, weight firm against the other boy’s forehead. His voice grew, an endless stream of “-sorry” spilling from his lips over and over as a sob threatened to reopen another dam.

Sokka let his eyelids lower, half lidded, pressing his forehead firmer into Zuko’s, trying to still the rocking motion. His fingers traced up the other boy’s arms, tracing the familiar path to his neck. He let his fingers run through Zuko’s hair, fingers gently easing into his scalp, circling and gliding as he lovingly began to shush Zuko, quieting the rising panic.

A whisper. He missed it – didn’t catch the words. 

Sokka pulled back, neck craned as he looked down at Zuko.

“What was that?” He quietly asked, kindly, a soft smile in his voice.

Zuko cleared his throat, eyes coming to meet Sokka’s, looking up through long, wet lashes.

“I know I was wrong, Sokka. I’m sorry it took me so long to come find you…” His words trailed off as tears overtook his eyes and his throat closed around his voice.

Sokka pushed his forehead back to Zuko’s, both their eyelids falling shut.

And in that moment, wrapped in each other’s arms, foreheads nestled firmly together, they let each other cry. Their bodies shaking, trembling with unspoken apologies, understood and received as more were given. Sokka’s heart was overflowing, and he could feel Zuko’s threatening to overwhelm him all at once. There was so much pain. So much anger. So much betrayal and confusion and desperation. But more than that, there was relief. So much relief. Joy, budding, as the realization was setting in that Zuko might actually be here to stay, and that Sokka was here to hold onto him in this new life. More than that, there was love. So much love. And forgiveness. Already, it was spreading like a warm, golden stream of molten lava, filling their veins with a medicine bringing them both to life.

As the tears began to quiet, it was Zuko who raised his chin, ever so slightly, bringing their eyes to meet, foreheads still together. It flashed across his face, and Sokka saw it all. It was a flash of heat. Desire. 

His gaze fell, landing on Zuko’s parted lips. The heat burned across his chest, down his abdomen, reawakening something he’d long since locked away. 

Neither of them were breathing even, both desperately sorting through a mix of emotions, every one vying for dominance.

Zuko’s eyes were a golden flash of need, but in an instant, they were uncertain, pulling back into safer territory. Sokka felt Zuko’s breath quiet, watching him retract from the door he had involuntarily opened.

Sokka pressed in harder, eyes closing.

“Sokka, I – ”

Sokka’s hands wrapped tighter around Zuko’s neck, having never ended their dance through the fire bender’s hair.

Everything was suspended. Neither moved for a moment as a thick silence overtook the room. Anticipation pulling threads as the seconds circled around them. 

They both hovered at the top of that roller coaster, feeling the pull up and over, seconds feeling like years as gravity ever so slowly threatened to plunge them forwards, a drop in the stomach sure to come at any unknown moment.

…

…

…

A sharp intake of Sokka’s breath sent Zuko flying over as he let the warmth flood his veins and finally fell into Sokka. 

Zuko’s chin tilted as his lips found Sokka’s, desperately deepening as soon as he tasted the boy he’d missed for months on end. The boy he’d tried to forget. The boy he now knew he never could. Because this, this was the boy he loved more than life. And he was never letting go.

Zuko’s hands flew up to Sokka’s face, both scrambling with a newfound energy and passion as they worked to make up for lost time. 

Uneven pants of breath filled the room as Zuko lunged forward on his knees, coming above Sokka. Sokka began to scramble backwards, neck craning to keep his lips locked with Zuko’s. As Sokka pulled himself back with one arm, he used his other to pull Zuko forward with him, both bodies hurtling towards the back wall. 

Sokka let out a sharp breath as he collided with the stone. His lips tore from Zuko’s as he let his head fall back, a gasp escaping this throat as Zuko moved his lips to Sokka’s neck. 

He knew he had begun to moan – moans of pleasure and relief – as Zuko moved across his collarbone, but he couldn’t hear himself. He was so lost in it all and for a moment, he could only hear the thick lubb dubb of his heart. A deep pulse being fed with flame. 

“Zuko-”

He let himself say the Prince’s name over and over as he let his head drop and be buried in the sweet mop of hair that had grown longer since he’d last seen Zuko. Sokka pulled him in as close as he could, chasing away the threat of fresh tears with closer contact. 

He grit his teeth as Zuko’s hands came underneath Sokka’s shirt, tracing up his abdomen and wrapping around his lower back before encircling his waist fully. _Fuck_ he’d missed this. They both had. And it showed.

The frantic energy resurged as they both scrambled to rip off each other’s shirts, suddenly _needing_ to feel the other’s skin against their own. Craving the heat and sensations that were now so familiar. Heat and sensations that were filled both with fiery passion and enduring warmth. 

With their shirts thrown across the room, they stilled.

Panting, neither moved as they stared into the other’s eyes. Zuko felt himself getting lost in the depths of Sokka’s swirling blue eyes.

They took each other in, basking in each other’s presence. Reveling in each other’s beauty, both their bodies marred with scars. Scars they had shown without fear. Scars that had been traced with loving fingers in forbidden hours of the night. 

They stayed like that, content to breathe, unable to do anything else.

Sokka broke first, shoulders releasing as the wind knocked back into his lungs. 

He slowly shook his head.

“ _Fuck…,”_ it was barely a whisper. “You have no idea how worried I was. Zuko you have no idea how much I missed you – ” The whisper broke off as his head continued to loll from side to side. Sokka wasn’t sure he wasn’t talking to himself in that moment. He hadn’t let himself acknowledge the truth of how much pain the long separation had caused. How the lack of connection and certainty pulled at his heart and anxiety more and more each day. He had pushed it down best he could, moving forward with a determination to bring down the Fire Nation. 

Zuko moved forward, determined to keep Sokka with him in the present moment. 

He pulled Sokka into his chest, reveling in the warmth of their bodies reconnecting. 

Zuko kissed Sokka’s temple lightly and waited. 

They had a pattern. This is what they did.

He held his breath, uncertain what he would do if Sokka didn’t take his turn. 

As he felt the panic threatening in his throat, Sokka began to move, slowly but with an assuredness that sent warm shivers down his spine.

Zuko closed his eyes in anticipation.

He felt Sokka’s breath close above his cheekbone before it finally came, sending instant relief through his whole body.

_The first time Sokka had kissed his scar, he jerked back on instinct._

_The second time Sokka had kissed his scar, he cried._

_The third time Sokka had kissed his scar, he felt a healing spark somewhere deep._

And now, feeling Sokka’s lips caress his burned skin, he felt home. He was finally home.

“Zuko?”

“Mm?” Zuko slowly replied, still lost in the cool aloe-like relief Sokka had brought to his scarred eye.

“You’re staying, right?”

Zuko opened his eyes and looked at him with a newfound flame.

“I’m never leaving you again, Sokka.”

They pulled into a tight embrace, air rushing from their lungs.

“Never leaving you again.”

**Author's Note:**

> BONUS: 
> 
> Aang walks by as the moans start. Freezes. Stares at the door with a blank expression on his face. Can't move. Feet frozen. Mind Blank. Eyes begin to widen ever so slowly, reaching full fish ridculousness as a blush rises from his neck. NOPE! Aang turns on his heel in silence and walks the other way, expression plastered for eternity on that poor boi's face. 
> 
> XD -- sorry!! I couldn't unsee it and now neither can you <3
> 
> Thank you all so much for indulging me in my desire to write a quick Zukka drabble. I hope you could see it all unfolding!! Because in my head it was pretty darn gorgeous. And heartbreaking. 
> 
> LOVE TO YOU ALL!
> 
> [ My Tumblr!! I'm a visual artist before a writer, and damn if that blog ain't overflowing with Zukka goodness <3 Check it out if you're craving some Zukka fanart!!! And come say hi!!! Your words bring me life.](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/antagonizedjordan)


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